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A. L. BIKER.

GAS ENGINE. No. 349,858. 7 Patented Sept. 28, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDRE\V L. BIKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GAS-ENGINE.

SPEGIFICATIOII forming part of Letters Patent 1 l'c .349,858 dated September 28, 1886.

Application filed July 15, 1896.

.TO aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDREW L. RIKER, of the city of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gas-Engines, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification.

The pr sent invention has reference to the construction of gas-engines, or engines wherein the piston is reciprocated by repeated explosions within the cylinder of a mixture of air and gas or like explosive compound; and the object of the invention is to improve the construction of such engines in point of simplicity and cheapness of construction, and with the view of reducing the amount of friction to a great extent, and thus proportionate] y increasing the amount of power available.

Prior to my invention a gas-engine has been devised, consisting of two cylinders closed at both ends with two pistons in each cylinder, one being a working-cylinder and the other a condensing-cylindcr for condensing the charge prior to its introduction into the working-cylinder. The construction of such engine is bulky and ponderous, the friction in operation is excessive, while the amount of power available for industrial purposes is verysmall in proportion to the size of the engine and the cost of running, owing to the power lost in working the compression pistons and the pumps for feeding the explosive mixture and drawing off the products of combustion.

According to the present invention, a single cylinder is employed, the same being open at one end to do away with the friction of a stuffing-box. Two working pistons are used, and their rods are connected to cranks on opposite sides of the power-shaft, the rod of the piston farthest from the shaft passing through the other piston. An extension of the casting forming the cylinder and water-jacket may contain the bearings of the shaft. Two induction-ports are arranged on one side of the cylinder communicating with a niixingchamber where the explosive mixture is formed. On the opposite side of the cylinder are two exhaust-ports and two gas-burners. The sliding valves for opening and closing the induction and exhaust ports are operated by eccentries on the power-shaft through connectingrods. The pistons are provided with cham- Serial No. 208,079.

(.\To model.)

plosive charge is admitted, and these chamhers have i gnition-ports through which, as the pistons pass the gas-burners, the charge is ignited. The parts are so constructed that an explosion takes place between the two pistons, driving them apart, and a second explosion takes place on the outside face of the lower piston when near the end of the cylinder.

The accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, illustrates in vertical section a gas-engine constructed in accordance with the invention.

The cylinder A is closed at the lower and open at the upper end, and it is surrounded by a water-jacket, 1, as usual. from the cylinder on opposite sides thereof are the standards 2, in which the shaft 3 has bearing-s.

The cylinder contains two pistons, B and O. The rod 4 of the latter passes through piston B, and is connected by the link 5 with the crank 6, whichis located at the middle of the shaft.

Piston B has two rods, 7 and 8, connected, respectively, to cranks S) and 10, which are diametrically opposite crank 6 on shaft 3. By using two rods for cylinder B to the right and left, respectively, of the link 5 unequal strain upon the bearings of the shaft is avoided.

In engines of this class large and heavy fly wheels are necessary to produce steadiness and uniformity in running. Instead of a single flywheel, I employ two, marked 12 and 13, re spectively. These wheels are on opposite ends of shaft 3 and the same distance from the middle thereof. The shaft is thus perfectly bal aneed.

The pistons B O are formed with chambers b 0, provided near the upper ends with ignition-ports 14. 15. In line with these ports the wall of the cylinder is provided with ports 10 17, opposite which are the gas-burners 18 and 19. Burner 18 is so located as to ignite the charge in chamber 1) of cylinder B soon after the latter begins its upward movement, while burner 19 is correspondingly located with reference to cylinder 0.

The mixing-chambers 2O 21 are located 011 the opposite side of the cylinder from the gas-burners. A gas-pipe, 22, has a discharge-orifice in each chamber, and the 'Ilowof gas from these PIQ] ecting hers, to which, at the proper times, the exorifices is controlled by a three-way cook, 23,

connected by a link, 24, with a rod, 25. The latter is reciprocated by an eccentric so located on shaft 3 as to open and close the gas-orifices at the proper times in the operation of the engine. Rod also operates the valve 26 of the lower induction-port, 27. Air is drawn into the mixing-chambers through openings 30 31. The upper induction-port, 32, is controlled by valve 33, operated through rod 34 from an ec-' centric on shaft 3. The eduction or exhaust ports 35 36 are controlled by the valves 37 38, respectively. These valves are operated by rod 39 from an eccentric on shaft 3.

Piston B is provided with oil cups and holes 40 41. Cup 42 supplies oil to the lower part of the cylinder and to piston C.

The improvements are shown as applied to an engine of the vertical type; but obviously they could also be applied to horizontal engines.

The operation is as follows: Assuming the engine to be at rest, and the parts in the position shown in the drawing, the pistons are re spectively at the upper and lower limits of their movement, thelower exhaust-port, 36,is closed, while the corresponding supply-port, 27, has just opened. The shaft is started by hand, and as piston G bcginsto ascend it creates a partial vacuum in the lower part of the cylinder, the suction drawing in a charge of air and gas through port 27 into chamber 0, the cook 23 be ing so turned that the lower gas-orifice is open. As piston Ocontinues its ascent the ascent with it of the rod 25 closes port 27 and turns cock 23 so as to shut off the supply of gas. When port 15 comes opp osite burner 19,an explosion-takes place. The cylinders now approach each other. When they reach the limits of their stroke in this direction, exhaust-port 35, which up to this time has been open, is closed by valve 37. The same motion of rod 39 also opens the lower exhaust-port, 36, so that as piston O descends the products of combustion of the first charge will be driven out of the cylinder. By this time rod 34 has opened supply-port 32 and rod 25 has reached the top of its stroke, closing supply-port 27 and turning the three-way cock 23, so as to open the upperorifice of gas-pipe 22. This is the position-o'f the parts as the pistons begin to separate. Acharge then enters through port 32 and isexploded when ignition-port 14 comes opposite gas-burner 18. This explosion acts on both pistons, driving them apart. erations described are repeated so long as the engine runs.

It is obvious that modifications in the de-.

The 'optails of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that some of the improvements described may, if desired, be usedwithout the others.

Having now fully described my said invention,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a gas-engine, the combination, with the cylinder open at one end, of the two pistons working therein, their connection -rods, the supply and exhaust ports and valves therefor, and the gas-burners constructed and arranged, as specified, so that explosions alternately take place between the two pistons and between one piston and the closed end of the cylinder, substantially as described.

2. In a gas-engine, the combination, with the cylinder provided with two ignition-ports, two supply-ports, and two exhaust-ports, of the two pistons working in said cylinder in opposite directions and connected, respectively, with cranks on opposite sides of the same shaft, and valves operated by eccentrics on saidshaft and controlling said supply and exhaust ports, so that explosions take place alternately between the two cylinders and behind one ofthen1,"substantially as described.

3. The combination of the cylinder open at one end and provided with two sets of ignition, supply, and exhaust ports, the valves and operating mechanism for opening and closing said ports at the proper times, and the two pistons working in said cylinder and connected to cranks on-opposite sides of the same shaft, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the cylinder having two sets of ignition, supply, and exhaust ports, of the power-shaft, the two working pistons'connected therewith, as described, the gassupply pipe having two outlets, and the threeway cock operated from said shaft through suitable connections to open said out-lets alternately, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the cylinder having two sets of supply and exhaust ports and the two pistons working therein and connected with the same shaft, of the valves operated from said shaft through eccentrics and connectingrods, the valves for the two exhaust-ports being mounted on and operated by the same rod, substantially as described.

- In testimony whereof I h ave signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANDREW L. BIKER. Witnesses:

N. O. HENDRIOKSON,

WM. HENRY POTTEBAUM. 

